More money could mean politician raises

Fred J. Heske, 67 of Alpine, said he didn’t think state elected officials deserved raises either.

“I don’t recall reading anything about raises as a result of Prop. 30,” said Heske, a retired college administrator. “They need to deal with what they have, tighten their belts, and to not keep coming back to the taxpayers to bail them out because they are spending more than they are taking in.

“I don’t think the measure would have passed had raises for politicians been known.”

Passed by California voters in 1990, Proposition 112 established the commission and charged its members with setting salaries and benefits for legislators and the state’s other elected officials. Commissioners are required to meet at least once a year to make changes that become effective on a December-to-December basis. A later initiative, Proposition 1F in 2009, precluded commissioners from boosting salaries during years of budget deficits.

Brown in January predicted the state is in surplus mode, although an interpretation from the state finance director is expected in the coming months as to the Proposition 1F provisions.

Commissioner Charles Murray, another Schwarzenegger appointee who has pushed hard for cuts, said he believes Proposition 1F will still apply this year and that there will be no opportunity for raises.

“I would maintain the status quo,” Murray said. “With an 18 percent pay cut and then the 5 percent last year I think we’ve done the most we can do to bring it in line with other states.”